Installing / Taking Respondus LockDown Browser Enabled Quizzes on Canvas (Student Guide)

Respondus LockDown Browser is a locked browser that prevents you from printing, copying, going to another page, or using outside tools during a Canvas quiz activity. Your instructor may have elected to use Respondus LockDown Browser enabled quizzes in Canvas, which require students to download and install a special browser prior to taking the quiz. LockDown enabled quizzes will not allow you to take the quiz on a standard browser.

Respondus LockDown Browser will no longer function on machines running Windows 7 on June 28, 2023.

Students using Windows 7 will need to upgrade to Windows 10/11 or find another device that is supported. LockDown Browser can be used with Windows 10+, Mac 10.13+, Chromebook, and iPads running iOS 11+ (the iPad setting must be enabled by the instructor). 

Table of Contents

This article will address the following information:

  • Introduction to LockDown Browser for Canvas (Vendor Video)
  • Installing Respondus LockDown Browser
  • Taking a LockDown Browser Enabled Canvas Quiz

Introduction to LockDown Browser for Canvas (Vendor Video)

Yale and Canvas @ Yale does not use Respondus Monitor.

Installing Respondus LockDown Browser

Each institution's LockDown Browser application is unique to that institution. If you already have Respondus LockDown Browser installed on you computer via a non-Yale Canvas course, you will be unable to use it for any Canvas @ Yale course. You may have more than one instance of the browser installed. If this is the case, make sure you select the correct one for your Canvas @ Yale course

You will only need to install the Yale-specific version of the Repondus LockDown Browser a single time. Once it is installed on your computer, you will be able to use it on all of your Yale Canvas quizzes that use Respondus LockDown Browser.

  1. Go to your Canvas course and navigate into the quiz activity that requires LockDown Browser.
  2. From the quiz landing page, click the "Take Quiz" button.
  3. On the next screen, a warning that Respondus LockDown Browser is required for the quiz will open. Click the "Download Respondus LockDown Browser" link to open Yale University's unique Respondus LockDown Browser installation download link.
  1. A new tab will open where you can click the "Install Now" button on the download and install page.
    1. It should specify that you are installing the LockDown Browser for Yale University above the install button.
  1. The LockDown Browser application install file will be downloaded to your computer.
    1. Open the file and follow the prompts to install the program.
  2. After the LockDown Browser is installed, you are ready to take a Respondus LockDown Browser enabled Canvas quiz.

You can also install Respondus LockDown Browser ahead of a Canvas quiz assessment by using the custom Yale download link.

Taking a LockDown Browser Enabled Canvas Quiz

The following instructions assume that Respondus LockDown Browser is already installed on your computer. If you have not already installed the LockDown Browser on your device, please follow the instructions in the Installing Respondus LockDown Browser section above.

  1. Open the Respondus LockDown Browser on your device.
  2. The browser will notify you if there are any programs open that need to be closed before you can take the quiz.  
    1. Click the "No" button to cancel opening the LockDown Browser so you can close the other programs yourself.
      1. You may want to choose this option if you need to save work in progress.
      2. Once you have closed all other programs, you will need to re-open the LockDown Browser.
    2. Click the "Yes" button to allow Respondus LockDown Browser to close the other programs for you.

You will notice that in the Respondus Lockdown Browser there is no URL bar, and very few browser functions on the top screen.

The browser will automatically load to the Canvas @ Yale log in page. If you see another institution's Canvas login page, you may have opened the incorrect installation.

  1. Sign into Canvas @ Yale as normal.
  2. Go to your course and navigate to the Canvas quiz activity that requires Respondus LockDown Browser.
  3. Click on the quiz and then click the "Take Quiz" button.
  4. Complete your quiz.

For more help, please refer to the Respondus Student Support articles.

For general help, please contact [email protected].